A leasing agreement between a landlord and tenant is not always what it seems. Even though the formal rent contract, which is a declaration of the tenant's ongoing financial responsibility to the property owner, may outline a total sum due every month, there may be some gray areas that tell a slightly different story. Effective rent represents the adjusted monetary obligation that the tenant has to the landlord after any benefits, allowances, or breaks have been assigned and factored into the amount.
The features that create an opportunity for effective rent can be unique to the situation of the landlord and tenant's relationship or the economic environment. If there are some inadequacies in the rental space, such as an underperforming heating or cooling system that will escalate utility expenses for a tenant, a landlord may be inclined to extend a break in the rent during the extreme-temperature months. The actual tenant obligation once any allowances are deducted is the effective rent. A landlord may opt to include these price breaks in the formal rent contract as well. In this case, there are software programs that allow for the inclusion of effective rents when performing accounting activities.
Catalysts for effective rents could be a result of economic conditions or supply and demand. In a situation where a home owner needs to find a tenant just to keep up with a mortgage, for instance, there is a likelihood that provisions that lead to an effective rent may be extended. Also, when interest in a rental space is weak, a landlord may benefit from offering financial incentives to prospective tenants. Although a rental ad may promote a space for a fixed monthly amount, the sum that the tenant actually pays over the life of the contract once benefits are subtracted becomes the effective rent.
Any terms leading to a situation where an effective rent becomes relevant are typically set when the lease begins. In the event that a landlord attempts to sell a rental property, the amount of money outlined in a formal rent contract could influence the value of a property even though an effective rent is in place for special reasons. Under sale conditions, or if a home owner seeks to obtain a loan based in any part on the value of income generated from a rental, lenders should give careful legal and financial consideration to the way these revenue streams are disclosed.
